Police Kill 18-Year-Old Near Tigard

by Laura Oppenheimer and Peter Sleeth, from The Sunday Oregonian, September 17, 2006

Lukus Glenn

SUMMARY: Shooting – officials say the former football star had a knife and defied officers

TIGARD – Police officers shot and killed an 18-year-old former Tigard High School football star outside his home early Saturday after he allegedly threatened them with a knife, Washington County sheriff’s officials said.

Sheriff’s deputies and a Tigard police officer responded to a call at 3 a.m. of a man with a knife behaving erratically in the 9200 block of Southwest 80th Avenue.

Lukus David Glenn, who had allegedly been smashing car windows with a shovel, was waving a knife when police arrived. He would not drop it when officers confronted him, said Sgt. David Thompson, a sheriff’s spokesman. At times, Glenn held the weapon to his own throat.

Officers fired beanbag rounds at Glenn, but he continued to threaten police and his own safety, Thompson said. “He was making some suicidal statements.”

Glenn headed toward the house, ignoring officers’ orders to stop, authorities said. Police knew that other people were in the house and feared for their safety, according to a news release. “Deputies felt they had no other choice but to shoot Mr. Glenn before he entered the residence,” the release said. Two deputies fired at Glenn, striking him multiple times, officials said.

The officers were not identified. They were placed on paid administrative leave while the shooting is investigated, which is standard police procedure, Thompson said.

Glenn’s mother, Hope Glenn, said Saturday afternoon that she called 9-1-1 because her son was so upset that she was afraid he might hurt himself. She said she didn’t think officers needed to shoot.

“He was my only son,” she said, too distraught to talk at length.

The initial call was recorded as a disturbance involving a weapon, police said. Witnesses told police Glenn was making statements such as “If you call the police, I’m gonna die tonight” and “Somebody’s gonna die tonight.”

Other young people were at the scene, but police did not say how many or their relationship to Glenn.

The Washington County major crimes team is investigating.

Hope Glenn said her son had been depressed recently but was generally a funny, happy teen. He was always cracking a joke, she said.

Glenn, an all-conference kicker for Tigard’s football team, graduated a few months ago. He was also a good runner and soccer player who frequently invited friends to the family’s house in the quiet Garden Home neighborhood near Washington Square Mall.

Crystal Satter, who lives across the street from the Glenns, said she couldn’t imagine Friday night’s commotion was coming from their house when it woke her up. She counts the Glenns among her favorite neighbors.

“Get on the ground now!” Satter heard officers yell several times. Eventually, one of them said, “Get on the ground now, or I’ll shoot!”

Satter lay in bed thinking, “Please don’t let this happen. Please don’t let this happen.” Then she heard the shots.

It wasn’t until daylight, when a detective stopped by, that she learned it was Luke Glenn who’d been killed. She spent Saturday writing in her journal and mentally replaying memories of the Glenns.

Shortly after Satter moved in 15 years ago, Hope and Brad Glenn brought young Luke by to trick-or-treat, each holding one of his hands. Brad Glenn once confided he’d gotten into trouble a time or two as a kid; he’d do everything he could to keep his son healthy and happy.

As far as Satter could see, that’s exactly what the family did.

The Glenns converted their side yard to a soccer field, where Luke and his friends played. They built a treehouse and staged paintball games. Every Fourth of July, the family hosted a big party. On nice weekends, they loaded their boat into a trailer and headed out of town to water-ski.

“These people dedicated 100 percent of the last 18 years to raising this young man,” Satter said.

Hope Glenn described her son as “just a good kid.” She said Luke had to work hard at school but did well. He was always surrounded by friends. And, though he’d been a little down recently, he’d decided to enroll at Portland State University this winter. He hoped to play football under an assistant coach who used to lead the Tigard Tigers.

Pam Henslee, the high school principal, said counselors will be available this week to help students and staff. She’ll also work with Glenn’s family if they want to remember him in a special way.

“His teachers spoke highly of him,” Henslee said. “They just said he was a nice kid.”